Eastern Pa. people, paddle through summer heat with kayaking

Kayak and paddleboarding programs from L.L. Bean

May 28, 2013|Gary Blockus

Getting active in the outdoors is the best way to get anyone hooked on nature. From hunting and fishing to camping and hiking, there are plenty of places to go, things to do, and yes, animals, birds and fish to see.

And even people.

Our friends at L.L. Bean at the Promenade Shops in Center Valley want you to get acquainted with the outdoors and want to help you do it.

Steve Johnson, who is basically the director of fun stuff at the local L.L. Bean, has a variety of kayaking and paddle boarding activities set up for the summer, along with archery classes that conclude on Memorial Day before beginning again in September.

L.L. Bean runs its regular "lesson" classes plus a meetup group (www.meetup.com/LLBeanCVOutingGroup) for a variety of paddling adventures. The Center Valley Store has more than 550 members in its meetup group. The Wednesday meetup group has a Wednesday night paddle at Lake Nockamixon every week, and had about 25 show up last week.

This year, Johnson worked with Jerry McAward, owner of the Northeast Pa. kayak School in Jim Thorpe, as well as owner of Jim Thorpe Rover Adventures, to get more staff members certified by the American Canoe Association.

For people who don't know how to kayak, L.L. Bean offers a kayak discovery course. For $20, you learn to get comfortable on a kayak in the water at Lake Nockamixon and do a slow-paced tour. Times are available Saturdays and Sundays through June 21, when Friday morning sessions will be added into the schedule.

There are special sunset kayaking tours for less than $50 June 21, July 22 and 26, and Aug. 9 and 23. There are also full moon kayaking trips June 23, July 20 and 21, Aug. 21, Sept. 20, and Oct. 18.

A special four-hour introduction to recreational kayaking, and a four-hour intermediate recreational kayaking course, are also available.

Stand-up paddleboarding has become the latest craze on the water, and L.L. Bean is on board with Friday and Saturday Discovery courses throughout the summer.

To reserve a spot in a Discovery Course, call 1-888-552-9885. For all other course, call reserve a time by calling 1-888-552-3261.

Paddle for a Purpose at Towhee: If you already paddle, join conservation-minded people to help control the invasive water chestnut aquatic plants in Lake Towhee in Quakertown.

The Bucks County Conservation District, in collaboration with the Bucks County Department of Parks and Recreation, and the state Department of Environmental Protection, is looking for volunteer kayakers and canoers to help remove the species, whose pods can sprout for 10-15 years.

The Paddle with a Purpose excursions are planned for 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. June 18-20, and 4-7 p.m. June 26-28.

Volunteers are asked to meet at the Lake Towhee Park boat launch, 800 Old Bethlehem Road, Quakertown, where they will be briefed on identifying water chestnut plants and their removal. Please wear sturdy shoes, wear a life jacket and sun protection, and bring a garden rake if possible. Bottle water, work cloves and light refreshments will be available.

For more information, contact watershed specialist Meghan Rogalus at 215-345-7577, ext. 107, or email her at meghanrogalus@bucksccd.org.

Sportsmen's clubs needed for junior pheasant hunts: Now is the time to plan if any local sportmen's groups wish to hold junior pheasant hunts. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is looking for sportmen's clubs wishing to partner up for junior youth pheasant hunts. Clubs can host up to two such hunts for junior hunters ages 12-16.

Eligible clubs must open registration to the public and the hunt must be held on lands open to public hunting, which could include state game lands or acreage in the Hunter Access Program. The PGC will give a limited number of pheasants, free of charge, to the host club.

"The future of hunting is directly related to the continuing participation of young Pennsylvanians," said Carl G. Roe, the executive director of the PGC. "The goal is to successfully compete with all the other activities and recreational opportunities that vie for a young person's time. It's truly a challenge for the game commission, as well as Pennsylvania's nearly one million hunters."

For more information or to participate, contact Samantha Pedder at 717-787-4250, extension 3327, or email her at sapedder@pa.gov.

Local outdoors shows: The Lehigh Valley Hunting & Fishing Extravaganza is scheduled for Aug. 23-25 at the Kempton Fairgrounds in Kempton. For more information, go online to http://www.lvhfe.com.

The seventh annual Lehigh Valley Knife Show is scheduled for Sept. 28 and 29 at the Charles Chrin Community Center of Palmer Township. Admission is $6. For more information, go online to http://www.PaKnifeShow.com.

The next Lehigh Valley Sportsman show is scheduled for three days instead of two, Feb. 28-March 2, 2014, at the Allentown Agri-Plex.